Rotatable scanner and image forming apparatus

ABSTRACT

A rotatable scanner includes a scanner body and a document holder. The scanner body includes an exposure surface on which a document is placed. The document holder is provided above the scanner body to cover a document placed on the exposure surface of the scanner body, and includes a hinged side and a free side opposite the hinged side. A front upper edge of the scanner body is chamfered.

PRIORITY STATEMENT

The present patent application claims priority from Japanese PatentApplication Nos. 2008-029798, filed on Feb. 8, 2008, and 2008-031065,filed on Feb. 12, 2008 in the Japan Patent Office, the entire contentsof each of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Example embodiments generally relate to a rotatable scanner and an imageforming apparatus including the rotatable scanner, in which therotatable scanner has a compact structure that facilitates lifting ofthe scanner.

2. Description of the Related Art

Image forming apparatuses, such as copiers, facsimile machines,printers, and multifunction devices having at least one of copying,printing, scanning, and facsimile functions, typically form a tonerimage on a recording medium (e.g., a sheet) based on image data usingelectrophotography.

For example, a charging device charges a surface of a photoconductorserving as an image carrier. An optical writer emits a light beam ontothe charged surface of the photoconductor to form an electrostaticlatent image on the photoconductor according to the image data. Adevelopment device develops the electrostatic latent image with adeveloper (e.g., toner) to form a toner image on the photoconductor. Aprimary transfer roller transfers the toner image formed on thephotoconductor onto an intermediate transfer belt. After a secondarytransfer roller transfers the toner image carried by the intermediatetransfer belt onto a sheet, the toner image is fixed on the sheet byheat and pressure applied by a fixing device. Thus, the toner image isformed on the sheet.

After image formation, the sheet bearing the toner image is dischargedto an output tray provided on an upper surface of the image formingapparatus. One known related-art image forming apparatus includes arotatable scanner provided at the rear of the image forming apparatus,with the output tray attached to a bottom surface of a scanner body.Since the rotatable scanner rotates upwards, a user can visually confirmthe discharged sheet stacked on the output tray and easily remove thesheet. In addition, a front edge of a document holder portion of thescanner includes a concave portion that enables the user to easily catchthe document holder to lift the scanner.

However, due to growing demand for compact and lightweight image formingapparatuses, the document holder has become thinner, and consequentlythe height of the concave portion has shrunk. As a result, the user hastrouble catching the concave portion to lift the scanner.

Accordingly, there is a need for a compact image forming apparatusincluding a compact rotatable scanner that still enables a user toeasily lift the scanner.

SUMMARY

At least one embodiment provides a rotatable scanner that includes ascanner body and a document holder. The scanner body includes anexposure surface on which a document is placed. The document holder isprovided above the scanner body to cover a document placed on theexposure surface of the scanner body, and includes a hinged side and afree side opposite the hinged side. The scanner body includes achamfered front upper edge provided on a side corresponding to the freeside of the document holder.

At least one embodiment provides an image forming apparatus thatincludes a rotatable scanner and an image forming apparatus body. Therotatable scanner includes a scanner body and a document holder. Thescanner body includes an exposure surface on which a document is placed.The document holder is provided above the scanner body to cover adocument placed on the exposure surface of the scanner body, andincludes a hinged side and a free side opposite the hinged side. Thescanner body includes a chamfered front upper edge provided on a sidecorresponding to the free side of the document holder. The image formingapparatus body mounts the rotatable scanner, and includes an output trayprovided on an upper surface of the image forming apparatus body.

Additional features and advantages of example embodiments will be morefully apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanyingdrawings, and the associated claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of example embodiments and the manyattendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the samebecomes better understood by reference to the following detaileddescription when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an image forming apparatusaccording to an example embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the image forming apparatusshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the image forming apparatus shown inFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a rotatable scanner includedin the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of the rotatable scanner shown inFIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is schematic perspective view of an image forming apparatusaccording to another example embodiment; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of a rotatable scanner includedin the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 7.

The accompanying drawings are intended to depict example embodiments andshould not be interpreted to limit the scope thereof. The accompanyingdrawings are not to be considered as drawn to scale unless explicitlynoted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

It will be understood that if an element or layer is referred to asbeing “on”, “against”, “connected to”, or “coupled to” another elementor layer, then it can be directly on, against, connected or coupled tothe other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may bepresent. In contrast, if an element is referred to as being “directlyon”, “directly connected to”, or “directly coupled to” another elementor layer, then there are no intervening elements or layers present. Likenumbers refer to like elements throughout. As used herein, the term“and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of theassociated listed items.

Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath”, “below”, “lower”, “above”,“upper”, and the like, may be used herein for ease of description todescribe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) orfeature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that thespatially relative terms are intended to encompass differentorientations of the device in use or operation in addition to theorientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in thefigures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” otherelements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elementsor features. Thus, term such as “below” can encompass both anorientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented(rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relativedescriptors used herein are interpreted accordingly.

Although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describevarious elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, it shouldbe understood that these elements, components, regions, layers and/orsections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used onlyto distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or section fromanother region, layer, or section. Thus, a first element, component,region, layer, or section discussed below could be termed a secondelement, component, region, layer, or section without departing from theteachings of the present invention.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the presentinvention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” areintended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearlyindicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms“includes” and/or “including”, when used in this specification, specifythe presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups thereof.

In describing example embodiments illustrated in the drawings, specificterminology is employed for the sake of clarity. However, the disclosureof this specification is not intended to be limited to the specificterminology so selected and it is to be understood that each specificelement includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similarmanner and achieve a similar result.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designateidentical or corresponding parts throughout the several views thereof,in particular to FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus 1000 according to anexample embodiment of the present invention are described.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the image forming apparatus1000. The image forming apparatus 1000 includes an image formingapparatus body 2 and/or a rotatable scanner 3. The body 2 includes anoutput tray 2A and/or a control panel 28. The rotatable scanner 3includes a scanner body 300 and an automatic document feeder 400. Thescanner body 300 includes a sloped surface 300A. The automatic documentfeeder 400 includes an original tray 30, an original discharge tray 31,and/or a concave portion 400A.

The image forming apparatus 1000 may be a copier, a facsimile machine, aprinter, a multifunction printer having at least one of copying,printing, scanning, and facsimile functions, or the like. According tothis example embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1000 forms afull-color toner image by superimposing yellow, magenta, cyan, and blacktoner images on each other on an intermediate transfer belt 110.However, it is to be noted that the image forming apparatus 1000 is notlimited to a full-color image forming apparatus and may form a colorand/or monochrome image with other structure.

The rotatable scanner 3 is provided above the image forming apparatusbody 2. The output tray 2A, to which a printed sheet is discharged, isprovided on an upper surface of the image forming apparatus body 2. Whenan original document is placed on the original tray 30, the automaticdocument feeder 400, functioning as a document holder, activates to feedthe original document into the automatic document feeder 400. Then,after the rotatable scanner 3 scans an image formed on the originaldocument placed on an exposure glass, described later, provided insidethe automatic document feeder 400, the original document is dischargedto the original discharge tray 31. When a plurality of originaldocuments is put on the original tray 30, each of the plurality oforiginal documents is sequentially conveyed to the original dischargetray 31 and stacked thereon. When the automatic document feeder 400 isnot used, a user lifts the automatic document feeder 400 to rotate itupwards and out of the way, puts the original document on the exposureglass, and closes the automatic document feeder 400 to cover theoriginal document put on the exposure glass. That is, the originaldocument is sandwiched between the automatic document feeder 400 and thescanner body 300. The scanner body 300 then scans the original documentand obtains original document image information.

Referring to FIG. 2, a description is now given of internal structureand operation of the image forming apparatus 1000. FIG. 2 is a schematicsectional view of the image forming apparatus 1000, which in thisexample embodiment is a tandem-type full-color laser copier including aplurality of image carriers, also called photoconductors, provided sideby side. Although an appearance of the image forming apparatus 1000depicted in FIG. 2 is slightly different from that of the image formingapparatus 1000 depicted in FIG. 1, the basic structure thereof is thesame.

The scanner body 300 further includes an exposure glass 32, a firsttraveling body 33, a second traveling body 34, an image focusing lens35, and/or a read sensor 36.

The image forming apparatus body 2 further includes a printer 100 and/ora feeding device 200. The printer 100 includes an image forming unit 20and/or an output tray 57. The image forming unit 20 includes processcartridges 18Y, 18M, 18C, and 18K, an optical writing unit 21, anintermediate transfer unit 17, a secondary transfer device 22, a pair ofregistration rollers 49, a fixing device 25, and/or development devices4Y, 4M, 4C, and 4K. The process cartridges 18Y, 18M, 18C, and 18Kinclude image carriers 1Y, 1M, 1C, and 1K, respectively. Theintermediate transfer unit 17 includes an intermediate transfer belt110, a belt cleaner 90, a driven roller 14, a driving roller 15, asecondary transfer backup roller 16, and/or primary transfer biasrollers 62Y, 62M, 62C, and 62K. The secondary transfer device 22includes tension rollers 23 and/or a conveyance belt 24. The fixingdevice 25 includes a fixing belt 26 and/or a pressing roller 27. Thefeeding device 200 includes a paper bank 43, feed rollers 42, separationrollers 45, a feed path 46, a pair of conveyance rollers 47, a bypasstray 51, a bypass feed roller 50, a separation roller 52, and/or abypass feed path 53. The paper bank 43 includes multiple paper trays 44.

The printer 100 is provided on the feeding device 200. The scanner body300 is provided on the printer 100. The automatic document feeder 400 isprovided on the scanner 300, and is capable of rotating.

The process cartridges 18Y, 18M, 18C, and 18K form yellow, magenta,cyan, and black toner images, respectively.

The optical writing unit 21 includes a light source, a polygon mirror,an f-θ lens, and/or a reflecting mirror, and directs a laser beam ontorespective surfaces of the image carriers 1Y, 1M, 1C, and 1K based onimage data, so that an electrical potential of an irradiation portion(exposure portion) of the respective surfaces of the image carriers 1Y,1M, 1C, and 1K is attenuated. As a result, an electrostatic latent imageis formed on the respective surfaces of the image carriers 1Y, 1M, 1C,and 1K. The development devices 4Y, 4M, 4C, and 4K develop theelectrostatic latent images formed on the respective surfaces of theimage carriers 1Y, 1M, 1C, and 1K into visible toner images.

The toner images formed on the image carriers 1Y, 1M, 1C, and 1K areprimarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 110,respectively. Thereafter, a cleaning device removes toner particlesremaining on the respective surfaces of the image carriers 1Y, 1M, 1C,and 1K. After being processed by a lubricant application device, therespective surfaces of the image carriers 1Y, 1M, 1C, and 1K aredischarged by a discharger, and uniformly supplied with an electricalcharge by a charger, returning to an initial condition.

The intermediate transfer belt 110 is wrapped around the driven roller14, the driving roller 15, the secondary transfer backup roller 16, andthe primary transfer bias rollers 62Y, 62M, 62C, and 62K, and moves in adirection A due to rotation of the driving roller 15 driven by a motor.

The primary transfer bias rollers 62Y, 62M, 62C, and 62K are provided onan inner circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer belt 110,and supplied with a primary transfer bias from a power source. Inaddition, the primary transfer bias rollers 62Y, 62M, 62C, and 62K pressthe inner circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer belt 110against the image carriers 1Y, 1M, 1C, and 1K, forming a primarytransfer nip between the image carriers 1Y, 1M, 1C, and 1K and theprimary transfer bias rollers 62Y, 62M, 62C, and 62K, respectively. Dueto the primary transfer bias applied to the primary transfer biasrollers 62Y, 62M, 62C, and 62K, a primary transfer electrical field isformed in the primary transfer nip formed between the image carriers 1Y,1M, 1C, and 1K and the primary transfer bias rollers 62Y, 62M, 62C, and62K, respectively.

The yellow toner image formed on the image carrier 1Y is primarilytransferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 110 by the primarytransfer electrical field and a nip pressure. The magenta, cyan, andblack toner images formed on the image carriers 1M, 1C, and 1K aresequentially transferred and superimposed onto the intermediate transferbelt 110 bearing the yellow toner image, thereby forming a four-colortoner image on the intermediate transfer belt 110.

The four-color toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 110is transferred to a sheet at a secondary transfer nip, described later.After the intermediate transfer belt 110 passes through the secondarytransfer nip, the belt cleaner 90 removes residual toner remaining on asurface of the intermediate transfer belt 110 sandwiched between thebelt cleaner 90 and the driven roller 14.

The secondary transfer device 22 is provided in a lower portion of theintermediate transfer unit 17. The conveyance belt 24 is wrapped aroundtwo tension rollers 23, and moves due to rotation of at least one of thetension rollers 23. The intermediate transfer belt 110 and theconveyance belt 24 are sandwiched between the tension roller 23 providedto the right in FIG. 2 and the secondary transfer backup roller 16,thereby forming the secondary transfer nip between the intermediatetransfer belt 110 and the conveyance belt 24 contacting each other.Since the tension roller 23 is supplied with a secondary transfer biashaving a polarity opposite to that of toner particles, a secondarytransfer electrical field is formed at the secondary transfer nip tocause the four-color toner image formed on the intermediate transferbelt 110 to electrostatically transfer to the tension roller 23. Whenthe four-color toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 110reaches the secondary transfer nip, the pair of registration rollers 49feeds a sheet to the secondary transfer nip, thereby transferring thefour-color toner image to the sheet by the secondary transfer electricalfield and a nip pressure. It is to be noted that instead of such asecondary transfer method of supplying the tension roller 23 with thesecondary transfer bias, a charger charging a sheet in a non-contactmanner may be provided.

The feeding device 200 is provided in a lower portion of the imageforming apparatus body 2. The plurality of paper trays 44 is provided inthe feeding device 200, vertically separated from each other and capableof storing a plurality of sheets in a stack. The feed roller 42 contactsan uppermost sheet stacked in the paper tray 44. As the feed roller 42rotates, the uppermost sheet is conveyed to the feed path 46.

The pair of registration rollers 49 is provided in the vicinity of anend portion of the feed path 46. The sheet fed from the paper tray 44 isconveyed through the feed path 46 to the pair of registration rollers 49via the plurality of pairs of conveyance rollers 47, and sandwichedbetween the pair of registration rollers 49. The four-color toner imageformed on the intermediate transfer belt 110 moves to the secondarytransfer nip formed between the intermediate transfer belt 110 and theconveyance belt 24 as rotation of the intermediate transfer belt 110.The pair of registration rollers 49 feeds the sheet at a proper timewhen the four-color toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt110 is transferred onto the sheet at the secondary transfer nip. As aresult, a full color toner image is formed on the sheet. The sheetbearing the full color toner image moves as rotation of the conveyancebelt 24 and is conveyed to the fixing device 25.

The fixing device 25 uses a belt fixing method. The fixing belt 26 iswrapped around two rollers, and rotates, forming a belt unit. Thepressing roller 27 presses the fixing belt 26. The fixing belt 26 andthe pressing roller 27 contact each other, forming a fixing niptherebetween to receive the sheet conveyed from the conveyance belt 24.One of the rollers included in the belt unit, pressed against thepressing roller 27, includes a heat source provided inside the roller toheat the fixing belt 26. The heated fixing belt 26 heats the sheetreceived by the fixing nip formed between the fixing belt 26 and thepressing roller 27. Due to heating and a nip pressure, the full colortoner image is fixed to the sheet.

After this fixing process performed by the fixing device 25, the sheetis discharged to the output tray 57 protruding from a side plate of theimage forming apparatus body 2. Alternatively, the sheet is againconveyed to the secondary transfer nip, so as to form another tonerimage on the other side of the sheet.

In order to make a copy of the original document, for example, a stackof original documents is set on the original tray 30 of the automaticdocument feeder 400. Alternatively, separate pages of the originaldocument are set on the exposure glass 32. It is to be noted that theexposure glass 32, serving as an exposure surface, used as a contactplate may be not glass but a plastic sheet, for example, acrylic and thelike. That is, the exposure glass 32 may be of any transparent material.

When each page of the original document is set on the exposure glass 32,a user lifts the automatic document feeder 400 to rotate upwards fromthe image forming apparatus body 2 to expose the exposure glass 32.Then, the user puts the original document on the exposure glass 32 androtates the automatic document feeder 400 downwards, so that theoriginal document is sandwiched between the automatic document feeder400 and the exposure glass 32.

After the original document is set on the exposure glass 32, the userpresses a copy key to order start of reading of the original document bythe scanner body 300. When the user puts the original document on theautomatic document feeder 400, the automatic document feeder 400automatically moves the original document to the exposure glass 32. Whenthe first traveling body 33 and the second traveling body 34 togetherstart traveling, a light source provided in the first traveling body 33emits light. After being reflected from an original document surface,the light is then reflected by a mirror, passes through the imagefocusing lens 35, and strikes the read sensor 36, which constructs imageinformation based on the light.

As this is carried out, each device included in each of the processcartridges 18Y, 18M, 18C, and 18K, the intermediate transfer unit 17,the secondary transfer device 22, and the fixing device 25 startoperation, respectively. Based on the image information constructed bythe read sensor 36, the optical writing unit 21 performs writing to formyellow, magenta, cyan, and black toner images on the respective surfacesof the image carriers 1Y, 1M, 1C, and 1K. The respective toner imagesare transferred and superimposed onto the intermediate transfer belt110, forming a four-color toner image.

Simultaneously with the start of reading by the scanner body 300, thefeeding device 200 starts feeding a sheet. One of the plurality of feedrollers 42 selectively rotates to feed a sheet from one of the pluralityof paper tray 44 provided in the paper bank 43. When the separationroller 45 separates one sheet from another to feed each sheet to thefeed path 46, the pair of conveyance rollers 47 conveys the sheet towardthe secondary transfer nip. Instead of the paper tray 44, the bypasstray 51 feeds a sheet. The bypass feed roller 50 selectively rotates tofeed the sheet to the inside of the image forming apparatus 1000.Although a plurality of sheets tends to be simultaneously conveyed dueto friction force acting on each other, the separation roller 52separates one sheet from another, so that each sheet is conveyed to thebypass feed path 53 of the printer 100.

In formation of a multiple color image including two or more tonerimages, the image carriers 1Y, 1M, 1C, and 1K contact an upper surfaceof the intermediate transfer belt 110 stretched substantially in ahorizontal direction. However, in a monochrome image formation, amechanism, not shown, causes the intermediate transfer belt 110 toincline to the left in FIG. 2 to separate the upper surface of theintermediate transfer belt 110 from the image carriers 1Y, 1M, and 1C.Thus, the image carrier 1K rotates and forms a black toner image. Undersuch conditions, the development devices 4Y, 4M, 4C, and 4K also stopoperation, respectively.

The image forming apparatus 1000 includes a controller including a CPUand the like controlling each device included in the image formingapparatus 1000. The control panel 28 depicted in FIG. 1 includes aliquid crystal display, various keys, and the like. The user can chooseeither a single-sided printing mode or a duplex printing mode by inputoperation using the control panel 28 to transmit a command to thecontroller.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a description is now given of a structure ofthe rotatable scanner 3. FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the imageforming apparatus 1000. The automatic document feeder 400 furtherincludes a catch portion T. The catch portion T includes a slopedportion TA.

The catch portion T is provided on the front of the automatic documentfeeder 400 and extends obliquely upwards to the proximal end of theautomatic document feeder 400 to protrude from the front surface of thescanner body 300. As a result, the user can easily grasp the catchportion T to raise the automatic document feeder 400. Due to the above,the image forming apparatus 1000 does not increase in depth. Moreover,the user can easily access and remove the sheet discharged to the outputtray 2A provided on the upper surface of the image forming apparatusbody 2. In addition, the sloped portion TA of the catch portion Tinclines downwards from the proximal end to the distal end of therotatable scanner 3. Although the sloped surface TA is generally a flatsurface as illustrated in FIG. 3, alternatively the sloped portion TAmay be curved, stepped, or the like. Also, the catch portion T may haveany shape, when it extends obliquely upwards to the proximal end of theautomatic document feeder 400 to protrude from the front surface of thescanner body 300.

It is to be noted that, when the automatic document feeder 400 isclosed, the user holds the catch portion T and lifts the automaticdocument feeder 400 to rotate upwards.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the image forming apparatus 1000. Since therotatable scanner 3 is provided on a distal end of the upper surface ofthe image forming apparatus body 2, an empty area is formed above afront surface of the image forming apparatus body 2 to enable the userto easily remove the sheet discharged to the output tray 2A. That is,the rotatable scanner 3 is provided in substantially a rearward portionof the image forming apparatus 1000 in order to facilitate removal ofthe discharged sheet. In addition, a rear surface of the rotatablescanner 3 is substantially flush with a rear surface of the imageforming apparatus body 2. This is because protrusion of the rotatablescanner 3 from the rear surface of the image forming apparatus body 2causes an increased depth of the image forming apparatus 1000 andrequires a larger installation space.

The automatic document feeder 400 is attached to a distal end of thescanner body 300, and is rotatable about an axis of rotation indirections indicated by the double-headed arrow B. That is, the documentholder includes a hinged side and a free side opposite the hinged side.A front upper edge of the scanner body 3 is chamfered to form the slopedsurface 300A. The concave portion 400A is provided on a lower frontsurface of the automatic document feeder 400 to form a catch portion.Thus, when the user puts their fingers in the concave portion 400A andlifts the automatic document feeder 400, the automatic document feeder400 rotates upwards to expose the exposure glass 32, serving as anexposure surface, depicted in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, a more detailed description is now given ofthe rotatable scanner 3. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of therotatable scanner 3. FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of the rotatablescanner 3.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the scanner body 300 further includes a wall300B. The concave portion 400A includes a wall 400A1. The scanner body300 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and a smallthickness in response to growing demand for compact and lightweightscanners. The front of the automatic document feeder 400 is beak-shaped.The upper edge of the scanner body 300 provided on the opening andclosing side of the automatic document feeder 400 is chamfered to formthe sloped surface 300A. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the sloped surface300A has a planar surface. More specifically, the planar sloped surface300A inclines downwards to the proximal end of the scanner body 300. Itis to be noted that the sloped surface 300A may include any shape easyto lift up the automatic document feeder 400, for example, a roundshape. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the concave portion 400A is provided inthe catch portion T of the automatic document feeder 400. The slopedsurface 300A and the concave portion 400A together form a space S foraccommodating the user's fingers, extending in a longitudinal directionof the rotatable scanner 3. For example, the concave portion 400A mayinclude fine surface irregularities to enable the user to easilydistinguish the concave portion 400A from other portions by touch. Inaddition, such irregularities provide a better grip for the user's handson the automatic document feeder 400 when the user lifts the automaticdocument feeder 400.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the wall 300B is vertically provided at bothends of the sloped surface 300A in the longitudinal direction of thescanner body 300 to form the space S. Similarly, the wall 400A1 isprovided at both ends of the concave portion 400A in the longitudinaldirection of the scanner body 300. Provisions of the wall 300B and thewall 400A1 enable the user to easily ascertain a position of the space Sjust by touch, thereby making the rotatable scanner 3 convenient forvisually-impaired users. Alternatively, after visually confirming theposition of the space S, the user inserts their fingers into the spaceS, moves their hands to the wall 400A1 to confirm a position of an endof the space S, and positions their hands so as to lift easily theautomatic document feeder 400. That is, since the user can lift theautomatic document feeder 400 by merely feeling with their hands, therotatable scanner 3 is operable for a variety of tasks. In particular,according to this example embodiment, the rotatable scanner 3 is usefulfor such operations as copying, faxing, and scanning involving frequentopening and closing of a document holder, that is, the automaticdocument feeder 400.

In addition, a conventional scanner is less accessible to an occupant ofa wheelchair than to a physically unimpaired person. However, accordingto this example embodiment, such physically impaired person can positiontheir hands appropriately on the rotatable scanner 3 by merely feelingthe automatic document feeder 400 and can easily lift up the automaticdocument feeder 400 without using very much physical force.

According to this example embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1000includes the automatic document feeder 400, serving as a documentholder, in which the catch portion T depicted in FIG. 6 is provided onthe front surface of the automatic document feeder 400 and extendsobliquely upwards to the proximal end of the automatic document feeder400 to protrude from the front surface of the scanner body 300.Therefore, the image forming apparatus 1000 does not increase in depth.As a result, the user can easily remove the sheet discharged to theoutput tray 2A depicted in FIG. 4 provided on the upper surface of theimage forming apparatus body 2 and easily lifts the automatic documentfeeder 400.

According to this example embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1000includes the rotatable scanner 3 including the scanner body 3 in whichthe front upper edge of the scanner body 3 is chamfered to form thesloped surface 300A depicted in FIG. 6. Therefore, even when a catchportion, that is, the concave portion 400A depicted in FIG. 6, is notlarge enough to accommodate the user's fingers, the user can easily liftthe automatic document feeder 400 with their fingers. When the slopedsurface 300A is largely chamfered, the user can easily insert theirfingers into the space S depicted in FIG. 6, even when the concaveportion 400A is not provided in the automatic document feeder 400.Accordingly, even though the automatic document feeder 400 decreases inthickness, the user can easily put their fingers in the space S to liftup the automatic document feeder 400.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, a description is now given of an imageforming apparatus 1000X according to another example embodiment. FIG. 7is a schematic perspective view of the image forming apparatus 1000X.The image forming apparatus 1000X includes the image forming apparatusbody 2 and/or a rotatable scanner 3X. The rotatable scanner 3X includesthe scanner body 300 and/or a press plate 400X. The press plate 400Xincludes the concave portion 400A. The scanner body 300 includes thesloped surface 300A. The press plate 400X, serving as a document holder,is thinner than the automatic document feeder 400 depicted in FIG. 1 andhas a different configuration from that of the automatic document feeder400.

FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of the rotatable scanner 3X. Thepress plate 400X further includes the catch portion T and/or a mark400B. As with the rotatable scanner 3 depicted in FIG. 5 in the previousexample embodiment, the front upper edge of the scanner body 300 ischamfered to form the sloped surface 300A having a planar surface. Thecatch portion T is provided on a front of the press plate 400X, andincludes the concave portion 400A used for catching the user's hands.The sloped surface 300A and the concave portion 400A form the space S,depicted in FIG. 6, extending in a longitudinal direction of the scannerbody 3.

The rotatable scanner 3X has the same effect as that of the rotatablescanner 3 depicted in FIG. 1. Since the press plate 400X is thin, theconcave portion 400A does not provide a sufficient space for insertionof the user's fingers. However, since the sloped surface 300A isprovided to form the space S, the user can easily insert their fingersinto the space S to lift the press plate 400X. In addition, since thepress plate 400X curves to the center in a width direction thereof, theuser can easily insert their fingers into a center portion of the spaceS. The mark 400B is provided in the center of an upper surface of thepress plate 400X in the width direction thereof, along one side thereof,to enable the user to visually grasp the center position of the catchportion T. Alternatively, a visually-impaired user can easily ascertainthe center position of the space S merely by feeling the press plate400X with their fingers.

The present invention has been described above with reference tospecific example embodiments. Nonetheless, the present invention is notlimited to the details of example embodiments described above, butvarious modifications and improvements are possible without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the present invention. The number,position, shape, and the like, of the above-described constituentelements are not limited to the above-described example embodiments, butmay be modified to the number, position, shape, and the like, which areappropriate for carrying out the present invention. It is therefore tobe understood that, within the scope of the associated claims, thepresent invention may be practiced otherwise than as specificallydescribed herein. For example, elements and/or features of differentillustrative example embodiments may be combined with each other and/orsubstituted for each other within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A rotatable scanner, comprising: a scanner bodycomprising an exposure surface on which a document is placed; and adocument holder provided above the scanner body to cover the documentplaced on the exposure surface of the scanner body; wherein the scannerbody comprises a chamfered front upper edge provided on a sidecorresponding to a front of the document holder, wherein on a side ofthe rotatable scanner corresponding to the front of the document holder,a front end of an upper portion of the document holder protrudes beyonda vertical line that passes through a point corresponding to a front endof the scanner body, wherein the document holder comprises a catchportion extending obliquely upwards to protrude from a front surface ofthe scanner body, and wherein the catch portion is disposed verticallyfacing the chamfered front upper edge.
 2. The rotatable scanneraccording to claim 1, wherein the scanner body further comprises wallsvertically provided facing each other at both ends of the chamferedfront upper edge of the scanner body in a longitudinal direction of thescanner body.
 3. The rotatable scanner according to claim 2, wherein thecatch portion comprises a sloped surface inclined downwards from aproximal end to a distal end of the rotatable scanner.
 4. The rotatablescanner according to claim 3, wherein the sloped surface comprises aconcave portion for accommodating one or more fingers of a user.
 5. Therotatable scanner according to claim 1, wherein the document holdercomprises a hinged side and a free side opposite the hinged side.
 6. Arotatable scanner, comprising: a scanner body comprising an exposuresurface on which a document is placed; and a document holder providedabove the scanner body to cover the document placed on the exposuresurface of the scanner body; wherein the document holder comprises ahinged side, a free side opposite the hinged side, and a catch portionat a front end of the free side for opening and closing the documentholder with respect to the scanner body, wherein the catch portionextends obliquely upwards to protrude from a front surface of thedocument holder and to form a concave portion, wherein the scanner bodyfurther comprises a chamfered front upper edge provided on a sidecorresponding to the free side of the document holder, wherein thechamfered front upper edge is disposed facing the concave portion of thecatch portion, forming a space between the chamfered front upper edgeand the concave portion of the catch portion, wherein the spaceaccommodates one or more fingers of a user that are inserted into thespace when the user opens or closes the document holder with respect tothe scanner body, and wherein the entire concave portion of the catchportion in a longitudinal direction of the catch portion is disposedfacing the chamfered front upper edge.
 7. The rotatable scanneraccording to claim 6, wherein the scanner body further comprises a firstwall vertically provided at an end of the chamfered front upper edge ofthe scanner body in a longitudinal direction of the rotatable scanner,wherein the document holder further comprises a first wall verticallyprovided at an end of the concave portion of the catch portion in thelongitudinal direction of the rotatable scanner, and wherein the firstwall of the scanner body and the first wall of the document holder aredisposed at a same position relative to the longitudinal direction ofthe rotatable scanner.
 8. The rotatable scanner according to claim 6,wherein the scanner body further comprises walls vertically providedfacing each other at both ends of the chamfered front upper edge of thescanner body in a longitudinal direction of the scanner body.
 9. Therotatable scanner according to claim 6, wherein the chamfered frontupper edge of the scanner body comprises a sloped surface inclinedupwards from a proximal end to a distal end of the rotatable scanner,and wherein when the document holder is closed with respect to thescanner body, a lower portion of the concave portion of the catchportion and an upper portion of the sloped surface of the chamferedfront upper edge are at a same position.
 10. The rotatable scanneraccording to claim 6, wherein the catch portion comprises a handle, andwherein a height of the handle is less than a height of the concaveportion of the catch portion.
 11. The rotatable scanner according toclaim 6, wherein the document holder comprises: an original trayconfigured to hold an original document; a document feeder configured tofeed the original document from the original tray; and an originaldischarge tray configured to receive the original document fed by thedocument feeder; wherein the concave portion of the catch portion isdisposed at a front side of the original discharge tray.
 12. An imageforming apparatus, comprising: the rotatable scanner according to claim6.
 13. An image forming apparatus, comprising: the rotatable scanneraccording to claim
 1. 14. The rotatable scanner according to claim 6,wherein the document holder comprises: an original tray configured tohold an original document; a document feeder configured to feed theoriginal document from the original tray; and an original discharge trayconfigured to receive the original document fed by the document feeder;wherein a portion of the document holder that faces the chamfered frontupper edge of the scanner body is disposed at a front side of theoriginal discharge tray.